


For Better or Worse

by quartzguts



Series: Wedding Bells [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Developing Relationship, M/M, Public Display of Affection, Sexuality Crisis, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23936512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartzguts/pseuds/quartzguts
Summary: Noctis and Ardyn get married. It goes surprisingly well. So well, in fact, that Noctis's family is concerned.Sequel to In Sickness and Health
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Wedding Bells [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725430
Comments: 9
Kudos: 147





	For Better or Worse

Ardyn likes to enjoy what he can in life; the little things which have not been stolen away by Somnus or Bahamut or the eternity of darkness he suffered. There's fine wines, the sky during the transition from dusk to twilight. Sylleblossoms, when he gets around to visiting Tenebrae. Annoying Verstael while he’s trying to work.

And, of course, Noctis's adorable blushing face as he stands with him at the altar.

The wedding is about as ostentatious as they could manage with only a short time to plan it. Ardyn doesn't particularly mind. The room is pretty enough, but it's all just window dressing for _this;_ for Noctis desperately trying to avoid his eyes, his cheeks a bright crimson, his teeth worrying his bottom lip. As the priestess says the ancient binding words, a ceremony passed down from a time long forgotten by anyone but him, Ardyn rubs his thumbs over the backs of Noctis's hands. He can't pull away, as they must stay touching skin to skin until the ceremony ends, but his fingers flex around Ardyn's and his eyes dart into the crowd. Ardyn follows them, meeting his advisor's eyes. Scientia glowers at him as hard as he can without popping a vein. Ardyn smiles pleasantly.

The priestess finally gets to the _speak now or forever hold your peace_ part of the ceremony. Ardyn must admit, though he prefers weddings to go smoothly, it’s always interesting when someone decides to interrupt. It’s usually some sort of affair, or a disapproving relative. He wonders if his beloved husband-to-be will be claimed now by his advisor, his shield, or maybe the blonde boy who follows him around like a puppy. Perhaps the King himself will interject and break the peace treaty outright, unwilling to sell his son to a man like Ardyn.

No such thing happens. The priestess continues after the short pause, talking about the stars and fate guiding lovers together. Ardyn is surprised the Lucian party chose to leave in all the romantic elements, when the marriage in question is purely political.

Maybe not _purely_ political, when Noctis glances up at Ardyn through lowered lashes, his pink tongue darting out briefly to wet his lips. It's time for the kiss, and after that they'll dine and speak politely to their guests, before they go their separate ways to spend the wedding night apart. Ardyn leans in, fascinated by Noctis's expression, and presses his lips to the Prince's cheek.

Is that disappointment on his face when Ardyn pulls away? How utterly _intriguing._ "Smile for the cameras," Ardyn murmurs as Noctis continues to look at him dazedly.

His Prince's expression flips a switch to a more pompous indifference, and he faces the cameras with his hands still in Ardyn's, stubbornly ignoring the red tint of his skin. “Worry about yourself. You look ridiculous.”

Ardyn thinks he looks rather dashing in this suit; it’s classically styled, red velvet with black lace at his throat. “I’m sorry to hear you say that. I think you look positively _ravishing._ ”

Noctis pouts, a completely precious expression. “Gods, you’re so creepy.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

That earns him a quiet huff. “You would.”

Ardyn takes his time looking over the faces of Noctis's retainers and family, keeping his smile perfectly straight throughout. None of them look particularly pleased. Regis tightens his grip on his chair.

This is going to be _fun._

\---

Noctis moves through the ceremony in a daze. When Ardyn kisses him chastely on the cheek instead of the lips, he's simultaneously relieved at not having to make out with a stranger in front of his dad, pissed that Ardyn apparently doesn't think he can handle real kissing, and a little disappointed. Maybe a lot disappointed. They're married now, for better or worse, and as much as this wedding was _not_ Noctis's idea he would like their marriage to be a friendly one.

He knows, at least, that Ardyn is not a complete dick. He's considerate, if a little flamboyant, and funny in his own way. Noctis knows he can't let himself be _too_ taken in by his Niflheimr husband, but, well, it's hard not to be. Noctis had expected the Chancellor, thirteen years his senior and by all accounts a hermit, to be a proper gross old man. This is so much better than he'd hoped it's almost funny.

Ardyn keeps a gentle hold on his hand for the entirety of the reception, slowly drawing circles across Noctis's palm. Noctis squirms and clears his throat and fails at forcing down his blush. He knows the reporters permitted to attend the royal wedding are eating it up, snapping pictures of his red cheeks and ears from every conceivable angle, cooing over the Prince's demure nature. When Ardyn leans in close to whisper some funny story about a Niflheimr diplomat congratulating them, his lips brushing up against Noctis's ear, Noctis feels his eyes droop and his head lean in towards Ardyn. The cameras flash and click until Gladio very firmly takes Noctis by the shoulders and pulls him away.

He knows his family isn't thrilled about this arrangement. When the treaty was proposed, his dad had tried everything to keep Noctis from being married to Ardyn. He’d suggested Luna, some of the lesser ladies of the Aldercapt family, and the daughter of one of Aldercapt’s advisors. All his attempts at compromise had been rejected. Noctis was to marry the Chancellor of Niflheim, no exceptions.

Noctis can’t say he prefers Ardyn to Luna, but he’s far from the worst option.

When it's time for the last round of photos for the press, a formal shot of him and Ardyn sitting together in a quaint room with a piano and a table piled high with jewelry and food and everything else that would be used for a still life, Ignis pulls Noctis away from his husband briefly. He leans in close. "Noct, do you need a break?"

"What? No," Noctis whispers back. His eyes dart to Ardyn, who's waiting for him with a patient demeanor. "We're almost done. Best to just get it over with, yeah?"

"I suppose," Ignis says, tight lipped. "I'd like to remind you that you do not have to allow the Chancellor to touch you. You can pull away, Noct. It's within your rights."

"I know," Noctis says, the damned blush coming back after only a few moments of absence. "The picture won't be as good if we aren't holding hands, though."

Ignis looks at him with a worried face, but doesn't say anything to the contrary. Noctis goes back to join Ardyn, shivering when he slides a hand down to hold the small of Noctis's back, right on top of his scars. He hears his dad and Ignis muttering to each other behind them, and practically burns in shame. He doesn't ask Ardyn to back off, though.

He's an adult. He can handle Ardyn's teasing. Just thirty more minutes, and then Ardyn will go back to his hotel and Noctis will go back to his rooms in the Citadel, and they'll be done acting all intimate until they move in together a few months down the line.

Of course, Noctis could always decide to go along with the wedding night anyway and invite Ardyn over…

Noctis shivers, wishing the cameras were gone so he could slap himself. Bad Noct. No horny thoughts at a public event. That's just asking for trouble.

They sit on a small plush loveseat facing each other. Ardyn smooths a hand over Noctis's knee, drawing it up to rest on his thigh. Mindful of his dad watching in disapproval, Noctis takes the comforting weight and flips it over, so they're holding hands in the space between them.

Noctis doesn't smile, instead adopts the traditional stoicism of the Lucis Caelum line, but Ardyn gives the camera a soft smirk. It looks good. Noctis keeps glancing back at him, looking at his thick red hair drawn back into a ponytail, the handsome line of his jaw, the stubble he refused to shave even for his own wedding. The photographer has to ask him to turn back to face the camera multiple times.

His wedding ring is just as heavy and gaudy as his engagement ring had been, and the longer they hold hands the longer it cuts uncomfortably into Noctis's skin. The interior is engraved with the words _astra inclinant, sed non obligant._ Meaning that destiny is made by people, not the stars.

It's not a popular phrase among religious types, and stupidly inappropriate for an arranged marriage. Noctis holds back a grimace. The irritation is coming back, lapping against him like waves on the beach, but then Ardyn shifts his stance so their thighs are pressing together and Noctis melts again.

Stupid touch-starved heart. Stupid Gladio glaring at Ardyn like he's tainting Noctis's purity just by sitting next to him. Stupid _Ardyn._

Finally, the photography session is over. Ardyn kisses Noctis again on the cheek, says "I await tomorrow morning with anticipation and longing, my dear"—they're eating breakfast together, does he _have_ to make it sound that weird?—and leaves. Noctis stomps back to his rooms, trying to ignore his dad and retainers following behind, muttering amongst themselves. Cor and Clarus fall into step too at some point, and Noctis has to practically sprint to avoid listening to them talk about him and Ardyn.

His room is still in boxes; he doesn't see the point of moving back home just so he can move out in a few months. Noctis throws his jacket and scarf onto the couch, tosses his shoes and socks out over the floor, and flips down with his arm over his eyes. He listens to Ignis picking up his discarded clothes and Prompto turning on a coffee pot in the kitchenette. Gladio opens the small fridge to pull out the cake. All things considered, this has got to be the worst party he's ever been thrown.

The couch sinks next to him. Noctis peeks out from behind his sleeve and immediately shuts his eyes when he sees his dad sitting next to him.

"Noct," his dad says gently.

"Can we not talk about this?" Noctis says immediately.

"I believe we do need to talk about this." His dad clears his throat. Everyone else shuffles into the room; Ignis and Prompto in the loveseat adjacent to the couch, Cor next to Regis, and Clarus and Gladio sitting in two chairs facing them.

Noctis prepares himself for the lecture, for the 'you can't get attached to Ardyn, he's dangerous' and the 'you have to mask your emotions better in public.' He does not expect the first thing out of his dad's mouth to be "the Chancellor's behavior today was unacceptable. I will be speaking to him about this in the morning, but for now I'd like to know if you're alright."

Noctis blinks slowly. He uncovers his face, staring at everyone owlishly. "What are you talking about?"

"Chancellor Izunia harassed you throughout the ceremony and the reception," Ignis says icily. "And those reporters simply photographed it as if it was an ordinary occurrence."

"I'll come with you to breakfast tomorrow," Gladio says. "If he tries anything, I'll be there to stop him."

"Woah, wait a minute," Noctis says. "He didn't harass me. I mean, we're _married._ "

"Noctis, just because you are married does not mean he can touch you without your consent," Cor says. "His status doesn't give him that right, either. He must abide by the law -"

"No, you're not getting it," Noctis says, and although the confusion on everyone's faces _should_ be a sign for him to stop talking, he keeps going. "If I wanted him to stop, I would've said so."

"...Noct?" Prompto asks.

"I mean, not that I like, wanted him to touch me, or, um," Noctis stutters. The looks of concern are only getting deeper. Noctis groans. "Nevermind."

"No, please speak," his dad says, resting a hand on his arm. "What do you mean?"

"I don't really know," Noctis admits. "It's just… you know?"

"We don't know," Clarus says. "Elaborate, Your Highness."

Noctis cringes. He doesn't want to put all his feelings on the table when they're already such a mess, but years of family interventions held to force him to talk about stuff like trauma and depression and other serious things before he drowned in them have set a precedent. They're not letting him run away from this. "Uh. Well, he's nice. He's annoying, but not, like, a total asshole?"

"...and?" Ignis prompts.

"Well, I want this marriage to be as good as we can make it, given the situation," Noctis says. Prompto catches his eye. He's got his mouth open in a surprised circle. Noctis quickly looks down again. "So even if it was embarrassing, I didn't really mind the stuff he did. It was fine."

"Noctis, you were clearly distressed during the ceremony," his dad says. "That is not 'fine'."

"Yeah, you looked pretty freaked out," Gladio says.

"I was embarrassed, not distressed," Noctis says. He hates the word _distressed._ It makes him sound like a flouncy princess being held captive by some monster, when in reality he's just a guy trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Or, not bad, per say, but weird. Definitely weird.

"Still, it's gotta be hard, right?" Prompto says, finally breaking past his fear of speaking in front of the King. "Marrying a guy you don't know."

"He's not unattractive," Noctis blurts out for some ungodly reason, then promptly buries his face in his hands in shame.

There's a long, stiff silence. Noctis desperately wants to excuse himself to go get a piece of cake, inhale it to calm the butterflies in his stomach, and forget this conversation ever happened.

"Noctis," Ignis says gently. "Are you… that is, we thought…"

"You aren't straight?" Gladio asks, earning a cuff on the head from Clarus.

Noctis nearly chokes on air. "No, I'm definitely..." He hesitates. He's looked at plenty of girls over the years, sure, but would a straight guy be so eager to let another man touch him? "I don't know?"

"I thought you might be uncomfortable marrying a man," his dad says carefully.

"Oh. Um, not really. I guess." Noctis twiddles his thumbs in his lap. Just when he thought this day couldn't _possibly_ get more embarrassing, he has a sexuality crisis. "Can we have cake now, please?"

"That sounds like a fine idea," Clarus says, and they all stand.

Ignis cuts the cake, freshly baked vanilla with chocolate fudge frosting and bits of chocolate scattered on top. Noctis nibbles at his piece, his thoughts running a mile a minute. Suddenly he feels the need to go through every single interaction he's ever had with an attractive person, man or woman. Yeah, he definitely liked that one awkward kiss he had with a girl in the Crownsguard locker rooms, but he also could never stop himself from staring at Gladio after their workouts. Sure, he's watched straight porn with Prompto before, but wasn't he always more interested in watching _Prompto?_ And yes, his prom date had been fun, but the part of the night he most vividly remembers is going out for a late night snack with Ignis afterwards.

Fuck, he's gay, isn't he?

He glances over at the other attendants of this drab little party, all of them huddled in small groups—his dad and Cor and Clarus, and Gladio and Prompto and Ignis, no doubt whispering about whatever the hell just happened. Noctis just came out, right? Do you have to know you're gay _before_ coming out? Shouldn't he have realized he was gay _before he married Ardyn?_

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he announces, head spinning.

His dad snaps to attention. "That isn't safe, with all the crowds about."

"I'll stay in the Citadel," Noctis promises.

"I should go with you anyway," Gladio says, wiping frosting off the corner of his mouth. "Give me a second to change -"

"Not necessary, I'll go by myself." Noctis heads for the door, plate and fork still in his hands. "I just need to think about, you know."

"The fact that you're gay and only figured it out after your wedding?" Gladio asks, and although Ignis quickly smacks him with his handkerchief, the damage is already done. Noctis goes scarlet. "Sure, take your time. We'll be here."

His dad clears his throat. "Noctis, please know none of us are judging you. We love you just the same, regardless of your sexuality."

"Gotcha," Noctis says, and bolts.

Despite the fact that he’s praying for Titan to open up the earth and swallow him whole, his dad's words make him feel a little bit better. He walks in circles around the halls for a while, ducking into empty conference rooms when he hears people approaching. For once, the Crown Citadel is mostly empty, with all but the most essential employees being told to go out and celebrate the Prince's wedding. The parties taking place all over Insomnia are loud enough to reach even the highest floors of the Citadel, floating through the open windows. There are fireworks being set off in the sky, bursting with color beneath the ceiling of the Wall.

Noctis leans against a windowsill in a secluded, darkened hallway, listening to the cheering and live music. He taps his fork to his plate, imagining the sound is champagne glasses clinking in toasts to the Prince and Prince Consort's health. The cool air blows in, rustling his hair, making him shiver. He hears the footsteps approaching, but instead of running he stays and waits. He recognizes those steps.

Ardyn joins him at the window, and after Noctis manages to swallow the lump of nervousness in his throat, he rests his head against his shoulder, seeking warmth.

"A beautiful night, no?" Ardyn says. "I admit, had I known it would be this fair, I would have insisted the wedding take place at sunset."

"We could've said our vows as the moon rose," Noctis says. His heart is racing a mile a minute. He can feel his cheeks heating again, but away from the crowds and reporters, it doesn't feel like such a big deal. "This is nuts. I've known you for two days."

"In all the old tales, lovers take even less than that to pledge their souls to each other," Ardyn says. "Don't you believe in fate, Noct?"

"Do you?" Noct retorts, gesturing to his ring. "Here, have some cake."

"Smooth, aren't you," Ardyn murmurs. He leans in and opens his mouth. It takes Noctis a moment before he realizes what Ardyn expects. With a bit of hesitation, he picks up a bit of cake with his fork and sets it on Ardyn's tongue. His husband hums appreciatively.

"Delectable," he says. "Now, allow me to return the favor."

They trade pieces of cake for a few minutes. Noctis curls his tongue around the fork and tries very hard not to think about the fact that he's definitely swallowed a bit of Ardyn's saliva at this point. _You're not a kid,_ he thinks firmly. _Indirect kisses aren't a thing._

They finish off the cake. Ardyn sets the plate on a nearby table for the staff to clean later, then rubs his thumb over Noctis's bottom lip, wiping away a bit of frosting. "How messy."

"We just met," Noctis says again. He's not sure if it's a protest or not.

"Indeed. Are you overwhelmed?" Ardyn says, an echo of an earlier conversation.

"Maybe," Noctis admits quietly.

Ardyn pulls away. He drops into a deep bow. "Then I shall see you at breakfast, Prince Noctis."

"You can call me Noct, you creep," Noctis says. His heart thuds painfully in his chest.

"I'll keep that in mind," Ardyn says, and then Noctis's husband is gone, heading down the hallway with that same annoying swagger as before. Noctis watches after him, frozen. He doesn't know if he wants to chase after him or not.

 _You have a few months to get yourself sorted,_ he reminds himself. _There's no need to rush._

He ends up going back to his room. Everyone is still waiting there. They fall silent as Noctis walks in.

"You okay, Noct?" Prompto says.

Noctis abruptly realizes he's smiling stupidly. He doesn't stop. "Never been better."


End file.
